The official motto of the state of Hawaii is “Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono" It means "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness". This phrase was first spoken by Kamehameha III on July 31, 1843 at Thomas Square, Oʻahu, when the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hawaii was returned by the British through the restorative actions of Admiral Richard Darton Thomas, following a brief takeover by Lord George Paulet. Based on the context when it was first spoken, it can also mean "The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness."